Savage Darkness, Hidden Love
by JuliaMaxwell35
Summary: The hunt for a brutal serial killer joins together Captain Sharon Raydor, Captain John Mason from SDPD (played by Edward James Olmos), and Lieutenant Andy Flynn in a love triangle. Who will capture Sharon's heart, and who will hunt down the madman killing teenagers? Set beginning of Season 4. Likely a 4 episode arc. Thank you to my beta, Amie
1. Chapter 1

Savage Darkness, Hidden Love

Chapter One

The ground is damp. The cold seeps through her clothes, permeates her skin until she can't stop her teeth from chattering. It takes every effort just to keep her breaths deep and repetitive. Her arms are chained together, as are her feet. Together, each chain is tethered to a master chain on the wall.

He will come for her again. He will come and her time in this world will end. She can feel it. It's common sense really. She tried to escape, back when he only kept her locked in a room. She was free to walk around then. Whereas she was a doll to play with before, now she is a burden. A burden he can't afford to leave alone anymore.

His steps reverberate off the walls. They are slow, calculating, eerie even. The door to her cell opens and she tries to hide against the wall, make herself smaller to appease him.

"I'm sorry."

He laughs, shakes his head sadly, and flicks a finely manicured finger her way. "What was that my dear? I couldn't quite hear you."

"I said I'm sorry." It sounds so loud to her, as if she is screaming in her own ear.

"Mmm. Yes. Sorry might have helped you before. Well, not really. I was always going to kill you. Nothing has changed except…I'm going to kill you a bit earlier than planned. However, there is one more thing I have yet to do that I'm simply dying to try."

If possible, his eyes darken to a blackness she has never seen. The Devil himself could be looking at her, and she would not know the difference.

"No. Please. I'll do anything. I'll be good. I won't try to escape again. I'll do anything. Anything!"

"Yes my pet. I know you will." His smile gleams in the meager light afforded by a lone bulb set in the ceiling.

He smoothly moves a table toward her. Turning, he unhooks her wrists from the master chain and pulls her forward until she is standing.

"Bend over." He doesn't wait for her to move. Rather, he pulls her hair back, making her back arch, and throws her body over the table. The wind is knocked out of her for a moment, and that is all he needs to grab the chains on her wrists and hook them to the table. The chains on her ankles are handled in much the same way, anchored to each side of the bottom of the table. When he is finished, he steps back, admiring her backside put on display for his eyes.

His hands roam up and down her skin, pinching here and there to make her squirm. Her cries are building in crescendo. It makes him even harder. He loves to hear them cry, to see their pain. Especially his Alicia.

"Yes my dear. Just like that. You know how I like it."

She does know how he likes it. She's been his captive for at least a month, longer than anyone he has kept. She's been here since the beginning, before any of the other girls showed up.

"Are you going to be a good girl?"

"Yes."

He smacks her hard across the torso and her thighs.

"Yes…what?"

Alicia closes her eyes tightly.

"Yes, daddy. I'll be a good girl."

He unbuckles his belt and pants with finesse.

"One last time…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Her phone rings in the dead of the night. Eyes not even open, she answers it with one hand.

"This is Captain Raydor."

"Captain? Provenza here. I think you'd better get to our crime scene sooner rather than later."

"What's going on Lieutenant?"

"I…Listen Captain. Just get here. Andy is texting the address now. Just get here."

"I'm on my way Lieutenant."

Sharon jumps out of bed. Provenza has never wanted her at a crime scene so fast, and that must mean something is horribly wrong, or something is horribly serious.

Getting up at all hours of the night has become commonplace in her life now. She has a routine down pat. Brush her teeth, quickly put a comb through her hair, dab some deodorant and perfume on, and then she moves on to the closet. Considering it is 1:00 a.m., she opts for a pantsuit with a scarf to ward against the chill. This might be Los Angeles, but it can get wicked cold in the early morning. She puts on her watch as she makes her way to the front door, her cell phone balanced between her arm and her chest. She quickly pours a cup of coffee into her thermos and places it next to the front door on the table. Her shoes on and purse in hand, she stops and listen. All is quiet. If Rusty was up she would let him know where she was going, but he is dead to the world. She smiles and writes a quick note to him on the writing pad. She places her phone in her purse, takes out her keys, and picks up her thermos.

Out the door, down the elevator, and into the car garage where she quickly walks to her car while keeping an eye on every angle surrounding her. The hairs on the back of her neck are standing on edge, and that is never a good sign. Something about this call…this murder or whatever it is that has happened…

She quickly gets in her car, locks the doors, and places her things on the passenger seat. "Somehow, I don't think I'm going to be getting much sleep the next few days," she says to no one in particular.

She types in the address left by Andy on her phone. She texts him back, letting him know her eta. It is a twenty minute drive. She turns on some classical music to settle her nerves and proceeds to drive across town.


	3. Chapter 3

Wow! Thanks for all the responses and follows! Starting with this one, the chapters will be much longer. Two things to know: First, I don't believe SDPD has a Major Crimes unit, but they do in this story, and two, EJO is wearing blue contacts for his role as the Captain (as obviously he has brown eyes in real life). Thank you to angelof9 on Tumblr for pointing that detail out as confusing :) Enjoy!

Chapter Three

"Dammit Flynn get them out of here. They are ruining my crime scene!" Flynn rolls his eyes at Provenza's drama queen antics. He politely handles the various personnel currently trampling through the scene.

Provenza rubs his hand over his temple. When he looks up, it is to see the Captain leaving her car and proceeding toward him. He sighs in relief, catches himself, and puts a scowl back on his face.

"Sorry to wake you, Captain. It's pretty gruesome. However, we need you here because-"

"Because of me, I presume."

Sharon turns around to come face to face with a handsome man dressed in a suit. Assistant Chief Taylor stands next to him.

"Captain, I would like you to meet Captain John Mason of the SDPD Major Crimes Unit. He happened to be up here for the retirement party of a mutual friend when we got the call. We drove together and, well, John, you can tell the Captain the rest."

Captain Mason extends his hand. Sharon finds his handshake firm, but warm. She gets an instantly good feeling about this man. She's always been a good judge of character. She trusts him immediately. The fact that he has the bluest eyes she's ever seen surely has nothing to do with it.

John lifts his arm and points in the opposite direction. His other arm rises to her back, his fingers brushing her waist. She inhales deeply as she works gloves over her fingers.

"Captain, if you will follow me, I can tell you why you were called in."

"Sounds good." She follows willingly. John begins to talk as they make their way to the crime scene.

"About a month ago, a murder came through our unit. Young girl, 14 years old. Raped repeatedly, chain marks on her wrists and ankles, practically starving. She had been missing for a week when we found her in a ravine in Alpine. The killer kept her for seven days, then killed her and dumped her body. The killer called it in on a throwaway phone. We have prints, semen, the works found on the body, but we can't find the guy. He's not in any databases. It's like the guy doesn't exist. He's a ghost."

"Cause of death?" Sharon asks as they approach a young female lying on the ground. Captain Mason takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes.

"Various stab wounds to the torso and mutilation. He cuts off their breasts and their backside and places them next to their bodies. He cuts out their intestines and internal organs and places those in a circle around the body. So far, he doesn't touch their face. He leaves that in pristine shape."

Sharon takes a closer look at the female body on the ground. She squints her eyes and looks back to John.

"As if he wants them to see what he's done," she surmises.

John shakes his head. "Yes. That was our thought as well. He's definitely vain. He wants to see their pain, their anguish while he does these things to them."

Sharon hums in agreement. She bends down at her knees, and John is amazed that she can get this close to a dead body. Most women would keep their distance.

"You mentioned 'they.' I assume you found more than one body?"

"You assume right. In the last month, we've found three bodies. The problem is where we found them."

"I don't understand."

"Well, the first body was found in Alpine. The second one a bit north in Julian. Same MO. The third body was found in Mount Palomar. Again same MO. But now…this girl fits the profile, Captain. Young girl, signs of rape, mutilation of the body but not the face, signs of being chained at her wrists and ankles, traces of semen on her body. The murder was even called in. What doesn't fit is three of these murders happened in San Diego, and the fourth just happened in Los Angeles."

Sharon rises to her feet, a look of panic on her face.

"He's traveling. Which means-"

"Either he's improvising because he had to leave San Diego, or he is now capable of committing murder while in transit. Only certain types of killers are transient serial killers, Captain."

Sharon walks around Captain Mason, scanning the young girl's body, deep in thought.

"From what I know, most serial killers operate in a defined area. It has to do with comfort zones, areas that are an anchor for them, like where they work or live. Serial killers will only expand their area once their confidence has grown or to avoid being caught. Generally the serial killers who travel interstate are people who move frequently, those who are homeless, or those whose work allows them to travel, such as truck drivers or someone in the military. Interstate serial killers operate in a very wide comfort zone of operation. They are quite confident in their actions, and from what I can see of this young woman, our killer is also, like you said, vain, and grandiose. It looks to me as if he fancies himself just a bit. What do you think?" Sharon takes a peak at John over her glasses.

"Wow. I'm impressed. I don't suppose you read up on serial killers for fun, do you?"

Sharon blushes slightly. "I attended some seminars a few years back. I find it very interesting, how the minds of serial killers work. I hate what they do, but their interesting to say the least."

"I agree. Look, it would seem the best approach would be if our two teams work this case together. If our killer is really on the move, it is likely he won't be going back to San Diego anytime soon. That means we need to be here to catch him, and you need our information and help in catching him. What do you say?"

Captain Mason extends his hand again. Sharon reaches for it, warmly shaking it.

"I think that is a wise decision. We need the best team you can bring us, and all the information you can get us. I assume you will take charge of your team, correct?"

"Yes, and I assume you will take charge for your side?"

"I will. Why don't you take primary. You and your team have worked this case longer. You know this guy. You know his profile and his victims. I'll take secondary. Agreed?"

John smiles. "You know, I don't meet many Captains willing to give up the lead in a serial killer case. You are definitely…one of a kind."

"Thank you. I'm not here to win any fame, Captain. I believe in giving the lead to the best person for the job, and in this case, that person is you. Why don't you get a hold of your team, and get them and that information up here ASAP. We will meet up again at headquarters, get our teams selected, contact the necessary people, and get everyone up to date. Sound good?"

"Yah, sounds great."

Sharon finally lets his hand go, turns around and begins to walk away. At the last moment, she turns around and makes eye contact with John again.

"Oh, Captain. Do you have a place to stay? Shower, eat, change clothes?"

"Uh…I suppose Taylor will let me bunk with him. Why?

"I was going to offer my couch. But I'm sure you will be more comfortable at Taylor's. See you soon." She saunters off toward her team as John lets out a sigh.

"What a woman. Dammit. Why did I mention Taylor?" John berates himself as he reaches for his phone to call his team.

From a little ways away, Andy watches the interaction between the two Captains and grits his teeth. He tries valiantly to ignore the chemistry going on. He almost has a lock on his emotions until he hears his Captain's remark to John.

"Let it go man. Just let it go. It doesn't mean anything. So what if she's never offered you her couch. Why would she?" He watches as Sharon looks at Captain Mason out of the corner of her eye. She smiles as if she has a secret. Andy sighs.

"Shit. I'm not gonna get any sleep until this is over."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Flynn!"

Lieutenant Andy Flynn whips his head around to glare at his best friend.

"What?"

Provenza hurriedly walks up to his partner and whispers in a quiet tone.

"Stop making goo-goo eyes at the Captain and get your head in the game. Do you not see what is around you? The SDPD are gonna solve this case while you have your head up your ass!"

Flynn can see Provenza's vein throb in his forehead, and though he knows he should be concentrating on the case, all he can see is the woman he loves and that…Captain Mason, in her office, with the curtains drawn. He can't stop wondering what they are talking about. Is she flirting? Is he asking if he can sleep on her couch?

_Shit, I'm gonna give myself a heart attack if I don't focus_.

He wipes his hands across his face and turns to Lou.

"Yeah. Sorry partner. I don't know where my head was. Sorry."

Provenza pats his shoulder.

"It's okay Flynn. It's okay. Why don't you come over here? Get your mind off things and concentrate on this victim okay?"

Flynn shakes his head slowly.

"Yeah. Yeah okay. Sounds good."

….

Unbelievably, there isn't much talking going on in the Captain's office. Sharon and Mason are pouring over previous evidence, because Doctor Morales found discrepancies with their newest body. Sharon closes her eyes, remembering Morales strange looks at both of them.

"_From what I've learned of the previous bodies, this new one is different, Captains."_

_Sharon came to stand next to Morales at the head of the victim._

"_Strange how?"_

"_Well…first, she was sodomized. The other victims were raped, but none of them were sodomized. That is a pattern differential. Two, though the killing, mutilating, and sodomy are all recent…Captains, this girl has been repeatedly raped over a long period of time. You can tell by the abrasions in her pelvic region. She has some that are fresh, some that are healing, and some scarring that is completely healed. That means this girl wasn't taken a week ago like the others. This girl has been enduring this type of behavior for a very long time. That is another pattern differential. Three, see here? See the marks on her ankles and wrists. They aren't as prominent as the other girls. It's like she was only in chains for a day or two. This suggests that she was possibly free to walk around, while the other girls were chained the whole time. That is another pattern differential."_

_Sharon and Mason looked at each other. He walked closer to Morales._

"_Doctor, in your opinion…why would a serial killer kidnap a girl, keep her lose for weeks while he raped her, then chain her, sodomize her, and kill her?"_

_Morales looked at the girl, patting her hair affectionately._

"_Honest opinion? I would say she was the killer's favorite. He felt he could trust her. He was raping her at the same time she was free. She could move around and fight him, but she didn't. Maybe he had her locked in a room, or held down some other way, but I can't find any other marks that show restraint."_

_Mason whipped his head toward Sharon. Her eyes slowly rise to meet his._

"_He felt he could trust her?" She asked him._

_Mason slowly nods his head._

"_Captain, if a serial killer doesn't chain up one of his victims because he can trust her, while he still does unspeakable things to her…"_

_Sharon swallows the bile that rises in her throat._

"_He knew her."_

_Morales looks between the two._

"_Knew her as in she was a neighbor or something?"_

_Mason shook his head._

"_The sodomy was personal. He only did it at the end before he killed her. It was personal."_

_Sharon nods and looks toward Morales._

"_It means, more than likely, they are related. They're family."_

_Morales closed his eyes. He held back tears as he rubbed her head._

"_Sometimes, I really hate this job."_

_Morales walked away, leaving the two Captains staring at each other._

Sharon rubs her hand across her forehead. Her sigh is louder than she intends it to be. Mason smiles slightly and takes his glasses off.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She looks up and giggles a little.

I'm fine. I just…I had absolutely no sleep. We closed a case late last night, and I didn't get to bed until midnight, and this call came in at 1 a.m. I wasn't even asleep yet. I'm just running on fumes right now."

"Well, it's 6 a.m. right now. What have you eaten since you got up?"

Sharon tilts her head at him, in a "what makes you think I've eaten anything" look.

"Ah. I can fix this. Give me a second."

Mason dips into his bag, coming up with celery and peanut butter, carrots, and cold pasta in separate plastic tins.

"You carry food in that bag?" She asks with a big smile on her face.

"Yep. I'm never without something. My doctor warned me last year that I needed to be eating more regularly, and coffee was not a food group. So I began carrying a little igloo. Keeps everything cold and it reminds me to eat."

"Mmm…what kind of pasta is this?" She asks as she taps the lid.

"The best pasta in the world. It's whole wheat tortellini with spinach and ricotta cheese. Made it myself. Has a little butter and parmesan cheese on it. Try some. It's amazing."

He hands her a fork and opens the plastic bin for her. Sharon takes a bite and has to cover her mouth to hide the groan. The last time she ate was 6 p.m. the previous day. She eyes the pasta, wondering how fast she could scarf it down. She is _that_ hungry.

"You made this? From scratch?" She asks, bewildered.

"Women aren't the only chefs, you know. I like cooking. Calms me. Helps me to unwind at the end of the day. What do you do to unwind?"

"Drink a glass of wine." She replies.

Mason laughs loudly.

"Well, that works too I guess."

She smiles at him, suddenly becoming shy. A blush forms over her face. Her cheeks feel like they are on fire.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't get shy and blush. It's too cute, and it makes me lose concentration."

He eyes her for a few seconds before he looks down at his notes again. She blushes even more before looking down at her notes.

"You're still doing it."

Sharon openly gawks at him.

"You're looking down. You can't even see my face."

His eyes lift to her.

"I always see your face. Even when I'm not looking directly at you, I see you."

She shudders. Those piercing blue eyes are dangerous. She wants nothing more than to lose herself in them.

A knock at her door breaks the haze her mind was swimming through.

"Yes? Come in." She leans back in her chair, her face becomes, once again, the Captain's face.

"Captains? We're ready for you. To start the meeting."

"Thank you, Amy. We will be right out."

Amy nods and closes the door.

"Right. We've got a case to solve. Okay, my team is up here and ready to go. They brought up all pertinent files. Looks like your team is ready to go too. Are you ready?" He asks.

Sharon stands up, whips her scarf off and lays it on her chair, and grabs her jacket. She makes her way to her door when Mason takes her jacket from her. He opens it toward her. She smiles, turns around, and puts her arms through her jacket. Once it is around her, Mason lifts her hair up above her collar. She fixes the collar with nervous fingers, and he puts her hair down. When Sharon's fingers find it hard to open her door, she turns abruptly toward Mason.

"Captain, I'm finding it hard to be around you without being nervous. I need to be on my game right now, as do you." She waves her hands frantically between them as she says, "So, this thing we have, whatever it is, we need to table it until this case is over. I can't focus on you and these girls at the same time."

Mason backs away slightly, his hands up in apology.

"I meant no disrespect, Captain. I promise, no flirting until the end of the case."

"Thank you. I, also promise."

"Thank you, Captain. That would help tremendously."

He opens the door and walks through it, but not before turning back to her and giving her a wink.

Sharon stomps her foot slightly, her hands balling into fists.

"Oh! That man! How dare he accuses me of-"

She stops mid-sentence, calming herself as she contemplates what she just said.

"Jesus, he's got me sounding like Brenda!"

She walks in a huff toward her team, her hips swaying more than usual. Captain Mason certainly woke up something inside her. _Damn him._


	5. Chapter 5

Quick THANK YOU to everyone who comments. Means a lot. This is long and technical, but highly important as it details what is going on. Let me know what you think! Love Love Love

Chapter 5

"Okay people. Settle down. Settle down now." Captain Mason puts his hand up to the crowd convening in the Major Crimes Unit. Sharon stands next to him at the whiteboard. Her arms cross and her glasses sit low on her nose; she is in power mode. Andy smiles at her despite the seriousness of the situation and his earlier hesitancy.

_God, she's beautiful when she's in a Darth Raydor mood. _He clears his throat and stands up next to Provenza, finally tearing his eyes away to focus fully on Mason.

"Let's get down to business. I'm Captain John Mason of the SDPD Major Crimes Unit. This is Captain Sharon Raydor of the LAPD Major Crimes Unit," John motions to Sharon beside him. "We also have Agent Howard from the FBI here to help us out with our investigation. Thank you, Agent Howard."

Fritz leans his head in acknowledgement. He puts his hands in his pockets and leans on Provenza's desk. Provenza arches an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Fritz asks him.

Flynn bends toward him.

"He only lets Sharon sit on his desk."

Provenza rolls his eyes.

"Really?" Fritz asks.

"Flynn!"

"What? It's true!"

"Ahem. Lieutenants?"

Andy and Provenza abruptly stop and turn toward Captain Mason. Sharon's eyes leave no doubt as to the talking they will receive later on.

"Sorry," they mumble incoherently.

"As I said, I'm Captain Mason. I will be in charge of this investigation. Captain Raydor is second in command. Both my team and her team need to work together, along with the FBI, to ensure we catch this guy sooner rather than later. Now, before we pick teams and all go off to do our jobs, let's get a little background going and catch everyone up to date on this case."

Sharon steps off to the side and leans on Provenza's desk next to Fritz. When she turns toward Andy and Provenza, she smirks, daring them. Wisely, they keep their mouths shut.

"I know many of you have worked on serial killer cases, but any information we obtain is knowledge that can break a case. First, most serial killers are not reclusive. Many have families, homes, and jobs. They appear to be normal, charming, and are often keen to help others. Their ability to blend in seamlessly is one of the reasons law enforcement often overlooks them. As police officers, we are trained to look out for the creeps, the strange people, or the ones who set off our radars. They don't fit that pattern, so we need to think outside the box. Most people think serial killers are white males. Not true. They can be White, African American, Hispanic, and Asian. Captain Raydor, what are some reasons that a person kills another person?"

Sharon pushes her glasses to sit high on her nose and slightly turns to the group.

"Though we are pretty sure this serial killer's motivation is sexually-based, there are many reasons for one to kill - anger, attention, money, or the plain old thrill of it."

She turns back to Mason and smiles. He smiles in return.

"That's exactly right, Captain. Now, moving on…"

_Jesus, she's like the damn teacher's pet!_ Andy silently fumes until Provenza elbows him.

"Often, the law has thought that once a serial killer begins to kill, that person won't or cannot stop. Not true. Many come into an event or circumstance that inhibits their ability to kill. This could include a marriage, a substitution for their sexual activities, or a new job. A serial killer can stop killing for 10, 20, even 30 years before starting up again. One of the reasons I tell my people that we need to catch them isn't because they might kill again...it's because they might not kill again. They might disappear off our radar, and once they integrate themselves in society, they are virtually untouchable. Captain, let's have you discuss the personality of a serial killer."

Sharon nods and stands next to Mason.

"Often, they can be extremely cunning and intelligent. However, many suffer from some form of personality disorder, including psychopathy or anti-social personality. Many show signs of being sadistic. Most do not appear to be insane, though. You've heard it time and again. He was such a nice man. He was so helpful. They can con anyone. Even one who isn't highly intelligent can still evade the law. Why? Because with each kill, they become more knowledgeable. They have to select, target, approach, control, and dispose of their victims. It takes patience, organization, and skill to do it right. Being a serial killer is very complex. Now, imagine if, like our killer, they have several sites where they dispose their bodies. It becomes even more complex. Worse, with each successful kill, their confidence grows. Confidence can breed mistakes. Little shortcuts might happen. The killer may not plan out the kill like before. Or one might take more chances, perhaps make the kill more public. It isn't that the serial killer wants to get caught; he feels he can't be caught. That he is somehow above the law."

Sharon nods to Mason and moves back toward Fritz.

"Thank you, Captain. Great insight. I would like to reiterate what the Captain just said. When a killer gains confidence, he also gains a strong possibility of making mistakes. This is what we hope happens. We need those mistakes to happen, because often we have no other clues. Having said that, this serial killer is different. Captain, I'm going to have you come up to discuss the personality of our suspect."

Sharon rises and turns toward the crowd.

"Okay, here is what we do know about this serial killer. Narcissistic, histrionic, sadistic, and obsessive-compulsive. Captain Mason, his team, and I are of the firm belief we are dealing with a white male. We believe he is vain, grandiose, and possibly has a desire to be famous or known by the way he leaves his victims out in the open, and the way he ensures his victim's faces are not hurt. It tells us he wants his victims to see what he is doing to them. He wants to watch the terror in their eyes when he kills them. This suggests a power play. Perhaps our killer, prior to his killing spree, was someone who did not have power, or was not able to fend for himself. We know he is good with a knife. He could possibly be a doctor, a hunter, or a butcher. We think our killer was already confident before he began killing. Our reasoning – he left semen, prints, any number of evidence on all the victims. This guy knows he isn't in any of our databases. We think he is off the grid – a transient, someone who has never been fingerprinted or arrested before."

Sykes raises her hand and Sharon nods at her.

"Captain, how is it he has never been fingerprinted before?"

"Good question, Sykes. It's possible he wasn't born in a hospital. Very possible, depending on where he grew up, that he did not attend school, and from a very early age, he lived on the streets or in the wilderness. It would make sense that he therefore knows how to use a knife because he would need one to survive. He probably doesn't have a job, a social security card, or driver's license card. He could also be from another country, and that is why we cannot find any match in our databases. As Captain Mason told me earlier…this guy is, essentially, a ghost. We cannot ID him through fingerprints, bodily fluids, nothing. And that means we have only two ways of finding him. Either we catch him in the act, or we go to the streets and find him."

Sharon turns and nods her head to Mason and takes another seat.

"Thank you, Captain. If we are going to catch this guy, we need to think like him. Captain Raydor has given us great insight into this killer's background. He is probably from the streets. He's good with weapons. He's a planner and obviously has a place to take these girls. He keeps them for a week or even longer, and he doesn't get caught. So, even though he could be a transient, he knows buildings where he can stay for long periods of time. So, what would lead someone to have this type of life? Serial killers are the product of their heredity, their upbringing, choices they make while they are young. Serial killers are not born; they are made. Most people develop coping mechanisms very early in life. This helps them to become good members of society. Serial killers often fail to develop coping mechanisms. Most come from abusive homes. Abuse leads to violence and aggression within that child before positive coping mechanisms are learned. The biggest reason a serial killer becomes a killer – Because that person made a personal decision in choosing to pursue their crimes. This man could have reached out for help. He could have found more positive ways to deal with the problems in his life. He didn't. He chose instead, to rape, torture, mutilate, and murder teenage girls. So far, we don't know his motives or reasons to kill, except for us to know who he is. Because his crimes are sexually motivated, I think it is safe to say he probably eroticized violence during his early development, which leads the professionals to believe it is highly likely he was sexually abused as a child. Most children who this happens to intertwine violence and sexual gratification in their psyche. Agent Howard, could you say a few words about the traits of a serial killer?"

Fritz stands up and addresses the crowd.

"Thank you, Captain. We think our guy is sensation seeking, impulsive, has a need for control, has a lack of remorse and guilt, and is displaying predatory behavior. This man shows all the signs of a psychopath. He uses charm, manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control other people. As Captain Raydor said earlier, this man is grandiose to the extreme. He is glib and could be a pathological liar. He has a lack of empathy and responsibility. He could be shallow and lack realistic expectations. He has poor control over his behavior, and could very well have had behavior problems in childhood. A psychopath who is violent is able to assault, rape, and murder anyone without concern of any consequences. This man will do what he wants, when he wants, to who he wants. He does not value human life and more than likely is very callous in his interactions with his victims. This type of behavior is very evident in sexually motivated serial killers. Most serial killers of this caliber will be impervious to the normal interview themes. This man will never show sympathy for his victims or any remorse. In this case, when we catch him, ulterior interview skills will be needed. This man will only respond to someone who will exploit certain traits in him, such as goading his narcissism, selfishness, and vanity. He wants to be praised for his intelligence and cleverness, and his skill in evading capture for so long. So, I would say once he is caught, the FBI should take over any post interviews that occur. Our men are trained for getting convictions out of these kinds of killers."

Sharon puts a hand under her hair to rub her neck as she smirks. While tilting her head, her eyes land on Andy, who is staring at her. He smiles, points to Fritz, and rolls his eyes. Sharon's hand comes forward to cover her mouth as she laughs and closes her eyes. She looks away before she gets herself in trouble and focuses once more on Mason.

"Thank you, Agent Howard. We will definitely keep that in mind when the time comes. Most serial killers are not acquainted with or involved in a relationship with their victims. The first three victims do not seem to have had a personal relationship with the killer. But the fourth victim does. Captain Raydor, Agent Howard, and I believe the fourth victim to be a familial match to the killer."

Murmurs abound within the room. Mason holds up his hands to calm the crowd down.

"However…calm down…However, fingerprint analysis has come back negative. We have no ID on this girl. No former convictions. Essentially, if she is related, it is possible the killer brought her up in much the same way he was brought up. So, knowing the last victim is related hasn't helped us in identifying the killer. It did, however, give us more insight into the killer himself. This man selects his victims based on availability, vulnerability, and desirability. We have surmised that he was able to pick up each woman based on her lifestyle, her susceptibility to be kidnapped, and her appeal that she fit the profile he was looking for."

Mason steps back against the whiteboard and holds out a pen toward pictures of the first victim.

"The first victim, Holly Sims, was 14 years old. Blond hair. Skinny. Her family thought she ran away, which is very possible as he might have snagged her off the streets. She was found seven days later in Alpine. The second victim was Jenny Leland. 14 years old. She was kidnapped walking to school one morning and found six days later in Julian. The path she took to school goes through a park, and it tends to be empty in the morning. Jenny was blond and skinny. Both girls also happened to be dancers. The third victim was Rachel Meadow. 15 years old. Rachel was taken at night while walking home from babysitting. She was blond and skinny. Her mom says she was a swimmer. She was found seven days later in Mount Palomar. The fourth victim looks to be approximately 16 years old. She was blond and skinny and found early this morning in Los Angeles. Possible that she also was involved in some type of sport or dance by her physique. The first three victims were starved, chained, raped, dehydrated, stabbed multiple times in the torso region, and mutilated. Each was kept for about a week and then found dead in an open space where anyone could have seen them. Each girl was gutted, with her insides placed around her. Each girl had her breasts and backside cut off and placed beside her. As each of you can see from the pictures, their faces were kept in pristine condition. Each body was found after a phone call was made from a burner phone that could not be traced. We believe the killer wants each girl found right after the kill to ensure that no animals get to them. Now, the fourth victim was starved and dehydrated. She was held much longer as she was repeatedly raped. However, chain marks were slight. Looks like she was only chained for a day or two. This means she was free to walk around, and she wasn't chained while she was raped, at least not before the last few days she was alive. This suggests she was used to this type of behavior. There are no defensive wounds on the victim, nothing under her fingernails, nothing to suggest she struggled. She was also the only girl who was sodomized, and so far, the only girl not found in San Diego. Captain Raydor, can you think of anything I'm missing?"

Sharon shook her head.

"Okay let's get technical. As I said before, this is going to be a joint effort. We've got VICAP alerts, NLETS, and the LEO website up to share information and see if any other cases link up. Agent Howard has got the NCAVC, the Behavioral Analysis Units, and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program involved to see if any of their cases link up to ours. Assistant Chief Taylor is handling any external entities for the case. This involves any political entities, the victim's families, and the media.

Assistant Chief Taylor raises his arm and waves at the crowd.

"So if you need any information or have any information that fits that criteria, you need to speak to him about that. Captain Raydor and I have completed MOUs to garner support and make sure we get the manpower and resources we need. Also, we wanted to ensure y'all got paid for your overtime."

The crowd claps at that. Sharon and Mason smile.

"We thought you'd like that. Now, we are going to combine our teams to ensure that everyone works together. We will have two task force teams. My team is primary and I will be lead investigator. Captain Raydor's team is secondary and she is co-investigator. My team consists of Agent Howard, Sykes, Tao, Ambrose, Reed, and Skylar. Captain Raydor's team will be Flynn, Sanchez, Buzz, Tyler, Andrews, Donnelly, and Doherty. Captain, watch out for Donnelly and Doherty. They tend to be the class clowns."

Sharon looks toward the two men, sees their smiling faces, and groans.

"Greeaaaatttt."

"Also, Lieutenant Provenza? Raise your hand, Lieutenant."

Provenza looks around suspiciously, raising his hand.

"Provenza is our liaison. He will be handling information that comes from the task force, the prosecutor's office, forensics lab, medical examiner's office, and other law enforcement agencies like the FBI. He will also handle any specific forensics or other related fields needed for the investigation and organize any available information needed from the SDPD and LAPD. Essentially, Provenza is the most important guy in this room, because he is going to keep all of us informed of anything new going on in the case."

Provenza grins at Andy and raises his hand higher, waving to the crowd. Andy sighs, looks toward Sharon and rolls his eyes again. Sharon whispers "Good grief." Andy whispers "I know right?" back at her.

"Be prepared to have daily briefings and periodic summary briefings. Be prepared to submit your VICAP reports immediately after you are done and before your shift ends. You will be given time during your shift, and you know as well as I that not turning those reports in could lose us a lead. Who has the murder book?"

Mason looks around him, looking like a deer in headlights.

"I do!" Sharon jumps up, turning around to pick a hefty book off a desk near her.

"Thank you, Captain. Okay this book will be with either Captain Raydor or myself at all times. Any pertinent information that you find needs to be added to it in paper format. There is also a copy of this book on Buzz's computer. Buzz is in charge of updating that nightly. Where is Dr. Morales?"

A hand from the back of the group begins waving spastically.

"Here I am, ready for my close-up." Morales smiles with perfect teeth.

"Tough crowd." He replies as no one smiles.

"Dr. Morales is our crime analyst. You can thank him for creating a timeline on the victims and compiling matrices to highlight any similarities between the victims. Dr. Morales will lend support to both Captain Raydor's team and my team, as well as give us insight as the lead Medical Examiner. The original medical examiner in San Diego was not available to be here, but he did speak with Dr. Morales about each victim. Anything that needs to be analyzed goes straight to the Doctor. Everyone understand?"

Mason waits until he sees a sea of nods.

"I would also like to introduce our prosecutor for this case. Where is DDA Hobbs?"

Hobbs quietly steps up and raises her hand.

"Thank you, DDA Hobbs. We are involving the prosecutor's office in this from the beginning. Whatever you need, DDA, you just ask for it."

Hobbs smiles, thanking the Captain quietly.

"Now, last but not least. Let's talk about all of you. I know what these cases can do to a person. What we've all seen has been brutal and senseless. My number one priority is the emotional well-being and safety of my people, and that includes every single person in this investigation. I want to know if anyone needs time off. Burnout, stress, a feeling of depression or hopelessness. It can creep up on you. Before you know it you're starting a fight, losing evidence, losing sleep. There are things we can do to help you combat all of that. There are critical incident counselors available to you. If you seek a mental health evaluation, you will get one. If you need time off, or do not think you can continue to be on this task force, then you will get your time off or be reassigned, and you will not be looked down upon for asking. The most important thing is that this guy doesn't create diversion. We all need to stay on our toes. We need to stay sharp. We do that by getting regular debriefings, getting enough sleep, and helping each other."

Mason looks around at the men and women staring at him.

"Now, who wants to go catch a bad guy?" He asks.

The crowd begins to hoot and holler. Mason sadly smiles and turns toward the whiteboard. He faintly touches a picture of the last victim.

"For you. For all of you. I promise."

With his back to the crowd, he misses Sharon swiping her fingers under her eye, a lone tear having escaped. Flynn swallows painfully, his fists clenching. He hates it when she cries.


	6. Chapter 6

So sorry I haven't updated sooner, but I'm back to updating my fanfiction. More chapters to follow this week! Enjoy!

Savage Darkness, Hidden Love

Chapter 6

The debriefing over, Flynn walks with Provenza as everyone else disburses. He feels her eyes on him before he sees her.

Sharon cuts both of them off, stepping in their path, her hands on her hips.

"Where, exactly, do you two think you are going?" she claims in that low voice that garnered her the nickname "Darth Raydor."

"Oh...well-" Andy begins.

"Uhm...as...as liaison-" Provenza stutters.

Sharon elegantly points in the direction of her office.

"Gentlemen, I believe we need to discuss your behavior from the meeting."

Provenza scoffs until Sharon takes a step toward him, her glasses dangerously low on her nose. Provenza has the good sense to shut up, his hands going to his pockets as he puts his head down.

"Of course, Captain."

The two men make their way to the Captain's office with Sharon following. As they take seats by the Captain's desk, Sharon turns to close the door and faces Captain Mason for a few seconds. His blue eyes find hers, and he smiles knowingly. She grins back before closing the door to her office.

John laughs to himself. "She's gonna eat them for breakfast."

/

"Captain, let me-"

"Sharon, what is this-"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen. Enough. I'm simply bringing it to your attention that your antics interrupted Captain Mason, and perhaps we should be more professional in the future?" Sharon takes her seat, her hands linking together on her desk. She eyes the two of them for a lengthy minute.

Flynn and Provenza slump back, sinking into their seats looking like two chastised boys before exchanging a look and rising up again.

"Captain, perhaps now would be a good time to remind you that you joined in. Did you think no one noticed your little moment with stupid over here?" Provenza points toward Flynn.

"Hey! Watch it, old man," Flynn scoffs.

Sharon narrows her eyes.

"Did I say either of you were required to speak in this meeting?"

The men look toward each other, confusion marking their faces, before turning back to Sharon.

"Perhaps instead of trying to be the next Laurel and Hardy, you can concentrate on making this team look as professional as possible? Please, let me remind you that for the foreseeable future, Major Crimes will be collaborating with SDPD and Captain Mason, and I expect NOTHING short of perfection."

"Ye Gods," Provenza rubs his face with his hand. Sharon continues as if she didn't hear him.

"I want three things from you. One, I want an apology."

"I'm sorry, Captain. Won't happen again." Provenza sullenly replies.

"Yah, I'm sorry too, Sharon."

Provenza swiftly eyes him. Andy begins to raise his shoulders in confusion until he realizes what he said.

"Captain! I'm sorry, Captain."

"Thank you. Two, I want you to apologize to Captain Mason when you walk out of this office and not a minute later."

The Lieutenants nod their heads in unison, although Sharon can see Andy clenching his teeth. She almost breaks into a smile, but holds it in.

"Third, I want each of you to concentrate on your jobs. Andy, you've been in the clouds since this case started. Provenza, you've been distracted by watching Andy. I don't know what's going on, but from this moment on, it stops. Andy, get your head in the game. Provenza, Andy doesn't need a babysitter, so stop bothering him. Understood?"

Provenza glares at Andy before facing Sharon. He stands up and puts his hands together in front of him.

"Yes, Captain. Anything else?"

"No. I've said my peace. Would you like to add anything?"

"Yes. He's a damn idiot!" Provenza spits out.

"What did I do?" Andy inquires as Provenza ignores him.

"You're dismissed, Lieutenant," Sharon says as Provenza turns around, the door closing behind him.

Andy, for his part, looks completely baffled.

"Andy, you didn't answer me. Do you understand?"

"Before I answer, I have a question for you."

Sharon slowly swallows. She doesn't need Andy to bring up anything personal right now. She needs professionalism. Against her own good judgment, she quickly nods once.

"Okay. Answer this for me - How am I supposed to 'keep my head in the game' when I have to sit here and watch you make goo-goo eyes at Mason?"

Andy puts a hand through his hair, standing up to pace as his hands make fists.

Sharon is completely caught off guard. Her hands sink beneath her desk, nervously rubbing together. She alters between telling Andy to leave her office and voicing abject horror at his insinuation but finds her voice refuses to work. Finding she cannot look at him, her eyes drift around and notice her blinds are still closed from her earlier meeting with Captain Mason. Thank God for small mercies.

"I beg your pardon?" She manages to croak out.

"What's going on, Sharon? I thought we were good. We mended our friendship. We're back to going out to dinner a few times a week. We watch movies with Rusty. And what? All that goes right out the door as soon as Mason shows up at your crime scene? One look and the last few years mean nothing? How could you ask me to be professional when you can't take your eyes off the guy? Tell me, is that professional?"

Sharon opens her mouth to say something, anything really. Once again, her voice falters. She stands up to garner some time, walking around her desk and leaning against it. Her hands grasp the edges of it, seeking stability in the rough seas she feels suddenly surrounding her.

"Andy…are you jealous?" Sharon inquires. Andy scoffs, his hands disappearing in his pockets as he continues to pace. Sharon's curiosity is piqued by his strange behavior. Andy is right. They are back to being great friends. They spend their free time together and are back to their weekly date nights they insist are not dates, but just two friends enjoying each other's company and getting their minds off of work. _Right?_

"Of what?"

"You're right, Andy. Of what?"

Andy stops pacing, turning toward her with another look of confusion.

Sharon smiles slightly, more to herself than him.

"Why on earth would you be jealous?"

A look of hurt crosses his face and Sharon immediately regrets saying it.

"Well, Captain, let's see. I've spent years trying to be your friend, trying to be someone you could trust and depend on. I've been right here, right in front of you, hoping against hope that you would one day look at me the way I look at you; hoping that you might one day be ready to open your heart again to another relationship. I've held on to the little moments between us; the little smiles, the brief pats on my arm or back, the little moments where you let me lead you through a door. Yet I can't help feeling just a little furious that Captain Mason walks into your life, and within hours, you are offering the man your couch to sleep on! You're eating food with him in your office! You are outright flirting with that man; a man you barely know."

Andy approaches her slowly, his head hanging low. He brings his eyes to her level, a sadness that Sharon rarely sees on his face.

"And what I've come to realize, Captain, is that at this very moment, you are treating that man out there better than you've treated me in years. You're letting him in where you've never let me tread. You're looking at him the way I dream of you looking at me."

Andy takes his hands out of his pockets, his shoulders rising and falling slowly.

"Jealous? Why on earth would I be jealous of the man who could take away everything I've ever wanted?" Andy snaps his fingers. "Just like that, as if it took no effort at all."

Andy turns, not waiting for a response. He pauses, his hand on the door knob, to address her one last time.

"I'll apologize for being unprofessional to Mason. I wouldn't want to make our team look bad. I would never try to make you look bad."

Andy turns, looking her directly in the eye.

"But you'll excuse me if I can't keep my eye on the ball. I'll do my job, and I'll do it damn good. I just…I can't watch you fall for him. Frankly, I don't know if I could recover from that."

He turns from her, opening and then closing the door behind him. Because he never looks back, he misses the silent tears streaming down her face.


End file.
